Category: search engine optimization

Internet robots or bots are used to perform repetitive jobs or send automatic interactions online. Recent studies have shown that bots now account for more activity on Twitter than humans. The majority of all tweets that share links to popular websites and articles, about 66 percent, are actually shared by bots.

The most active bots on Twitter are responsible for 22 percent of all tweeted links which means that they produce four times as many tweets as the average human user. The findings suggest that bots have taken over Twitter with the amount of link sharing tweets that they are posting online. Even more alarming is that bots account for 89 percent of the links shared to news sites like Google news.

Bots can be used to manipulate the algorithms that news sites use to determine the links to articles that people see in their newsfeed. News stories then can quickly go viral and be significantly affected by link-sharing bots that are manipulating what people see online. If the goal of certain bots is political propaganda they may be able to influence what people read and what their opinions are on certain subjects.

Studies of the 2016 elections suggested that bots generated tweets promoting certain candidates. Although most bots tend to be ideologically mixed, they can have specific political agendas and a goal in mind as far the news stories and articles they are sharing. It is even possible for foreign governments to use bots as online propaganda tools in order to cause problems within the United States.

Bots can be a serious issue of integrity on the internet if they have the power of making certain stories seem more popular than others. They may have the ability to sway people’s opinion by dictating what information is exposed to them. It is something to consider for those who are concerned about the possible negative influence of bots online.

In the past metadata was crucial for SEO because it played a significant role in how a website was ranked in search engines. Meta data is basically code that you include your website that search engine spiders use to determine the content of the site and how to rank it. In the past search engines relied more on metadata but today’s search engines have more sophisticated algorithms that don’t rely so extensively on metadata.

One of the problems with metadata in the world of SEO was the tendency for businesses to stuff keywords into metadata in order to get a higher search rank. This issue led to search engines changing their algorithm to use less metadata in order to get information about a website. Algorithms now are based almost entirely on content and very little on metadata compared to the way that they worked in the past.

Although metadata is less important for SEO, it can still be useful to include metadata such as title tags in a website. Title tags are actually the first thing that a search engine spider sees so it still influences your search rank. A title tag can also persuade readers to click on a page because it grabs their attention and includes keywords so that they know what the content is about.

Keyword tags no longer influence search ranking but they can still help you keep track of the keywords you are targeting on your page. Description tags also are not used in ranking but they can still show up in search engine results so they are useful to include as a way to support the title tag and provide more information. When it comes to metadata now it is not very important for the ranking of a website but can enhance user experience.

There are many different types of content you can feature on your website but many businesses overlook the benefits of including case studies. They can be a great promotional tool that helps demonstrate why your product or business is effective and what you can offer to potential customers. Businesses that are looking for some fresh and interesting content that will provide a boost to their marketing efforts should look into case studies.

By producing case studies you are providing customers with definite proof that your products or services work and they will be more effective than your competition. Within the case study you can include evidence with specific facts and numbers that demonstrate what your product or service is able to do for customers. The data and information you provide will give readers a compelling argument as to why they should purchase something from you.

The template for a case study usually includes an example of a client problem and how your business was able to solve it for them. This helps showcase a specific instance in which you were able to really help someone through your work. You can start working on a case study by interviewing some of your best customers to get their testimonies so that their story can be featured.

Talking to your clients can give you the information you need and they might even be able to share facts and figures you can include in the case study. Real stories that show your product or service as a concrete solution to a problem can be a major selling point to include on your website. Featuring a few case studies gives your business greater credibility because your customers are willing to share their experiences.

Case studies can be a very convincing addition to your content and including them on your website may help sway customers to make a purchase.

SEO is a marketing tool that is constantly changing so marketers need to adjust their strategies fairly often to keep up. SEO is still a crucial part of building an online presence so businesses must take the time to pay attention to what the current best practices are.

One of the fastest growing changes in search marketing is the use of voice search tools such as Siri and Alexa. More people than ever are using the voice option on their mobile phone or their smart home devices so that they don’t have to take the time to type. People often use different kinds of phrases and keywords when they use voice search compared to typing a query on a phone or a desktop so you will need to adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.

2. Write Longer Content

Great content is key to having more effective SEO and recently marketers have found that longer posts tend to hold reader’s interest and get more of a response. However the content still needs to be high quality, useful and interesting information that will keep readers on the page longer.

3. Create a Faster Website

If there are any loading or navigational issues with your website it can negative affect the success of your SEO strategies. A fast site will rank higher on Google and will create a better user experience which is important for retaining customers. If you optimize for speed you are going to see more positive results.

The focus of SEO strategies can incorporate many different aspects of marketing but these three options are simple and effective for businesses that want a quick boost.

Businesses that are looking to expand their reach online might be interested in getting some help from marketing experts. The world of marketing often changes very quickly and it can be difficult to focus on both running a business and advertising it online. A digital marketing agency can provide some support in launching bigger or more effective campaigns in order to grow your business.

Traditional marketing methods are rapidly becoming a thing of the past as most people focus on search ads and social media marketing campaigns. The tactics behind these methods can be complex because they work best when they are specifically targeted to an audience. A digital marketing agency has the experience and understanding of how to create ads that cater toward certain individuals online and can make sure that they see them.

A digital marketing agency has more skills in analyzing data so that they can target brand promotion more effectively. They can organize digital marketing campaigns and take the guesswork out of reaching audiences online so that you can immediately see positive results. Businesses that want to get the most out of their digital advertising efforts benefit from an agency that can make it easy for them.

Organized and Focused Marketing

What makes a digital marketing agency more effective than a business attempting their own marketing strategies? A digital marketing agency focuses on results-based marketing using a team of strategists, consultants and developers that work to create a campaign. They are not simply creating ads and hoping that they get results, they know how to use tactics that will develop your brand and generate leads.

A digital marketing agency has the ability to take over a businesses marketing efforts from top to bottom so that they see some real improvement. The agency can start by evaluating your unique needs as a company so that they can develop a strategy that will work to maximize your profits. They focus on the bigger picture of seeing your business improve rather than just producing individual ad campaigns.

The agency can help you set goals and define your objectives based on areas that could improve your business. Many companies find it difficult to clearly understand what their marketing objective should be or even what their best targeted buyer should be. The digital marketing agency can help determine the best target audience so that you can develop a message for them in your advertising.

Developing Your Online Presence

Once a digital marketing agency has created a definition of your ideal buyer they can then start to develop your images and find ways to showcase your brand. This could mean having a more effective website that appeals to your target audience and figuring out which platforms and channels will work best for you. Your ideal buyer can help determine which social media sites suit your brand and where most of your audience hangs out online.

A marketing agency can use these channels to position your company as a market leader and establish your brand authority. Target buyers can start to see you as an expert in your field and they will look to you for the best products. The agency creates content that showcases your expertise while also helping to build organic search results.

Your online presence will continue to grow with the help of a digital marketing agency in a way that establishes your brand and allows you to maintain your position as a competitor in your industry. The agency will identify your competition and help you stay in the game so that you aren’t left behind when it comes to what’s new in marketing. A refocused and more effective online presence can begin to have a big impact on your profits and increase your return on investment.

Save Time and Energy

One of the biggest advantages of using a digital marketing agency is that you can allow them to revamp your marketing from the ground up while you focus on running your business. You won’t have to use your valuable resources on advertising yourself and you can instead put more energy into making your business the best that it can be. Hiring a marketing agency frees up time and resources so that you can grow your business from the inside while they improve and develop your brand’s image.

Overall, a digital marketing agency gives businesses the chance to work with marketing experts that know how to get results and won’t waste time or money trying strategies that aren’t useful to you. They have all the experience and qualifications that make it easy for them to get the results that you might struggle with. Their efforts can help you boost profits, improve your business and establish your brand authority and presence online.

Content marketing is certainly the buzz word for 2018. But when it comes to narrowing it down, do you know what’s best for your business strategy? Take a look at some things Emarketed can help you with today:

Infographics

A picture says a thousand words and an infographic is more than just a shareable image. An infographic presents information in an appealing, visual manner by using a creative combination of carefully curated content, facts and images. A good infographic has a sense of purpose and flows in a way that easily makes sense to readers. It’s hard to think of an infographic as a driving force behind content creation, but it is certainly a powerful tool that can be helpful once combined with social media.

Video Marketing

With advances in technology, almost anyone can use video marketing to their advantage. The goal is to tell a story and convey the human side of your business. Put your best foot, and face, forward and our video marketing team will help produce and develop the best videos to fit your business needs. Once again, you can leverage video as a platform to introduce, educate and even entertain. Video is definitely a must-have for 2018.

Email Newsletters

Providing interested customers with high quality content from a regular newsletter is an effective way to communicate. The “hook” is the easy part, as they’ve already opted-in and are expecting information from your business. The next part is to keep their interest and give them something to look forward to. This can come in the form of coupons, neighborhood news, important stories and just generally, helpful information. Newsletters may seem old-fashioned compared to all the other things out there but it’s certainly tried and true for most businesses. Looking at email newsletters as a source of creative content creation gives you something else to work on instead of depending solely on your website.

Social Media

While social media marketing is often seen as the connection between content and the audience, it’s time to look at it in a different light – as the source of content creation itself. If you don’t think this is possible, take a look at Instagram and Pinterest accounts. These updates/posts almost always rely on a quick and new source of content generation. Although the lifespan of this content generally doesn’t last as long, it’s another area to grow your business in. Social media sites such as these allow businesses to think outside of the box when it comes to creating new content.

Let Us Know

Content is king and by now, you should know that we don’t just mean written content. There’s so much more out there for your business to explore. Let us know what you’re going to concentrate on for this coming year.

The way people search for things online has been slowly changing because of voice command options like using Siri on an iphone or the Amazon Echo in their home. Instead of physically typing in something you are looking for, you can easily activate a voice command option and save time and effort. When people are on the go they might prefer to interact with a device through voice command to get an immediate answer.

Because voice search has become much more prevalent in our daily lives it is now more important than ever for businesses to start thinking about using it for marketing and optimizing for voice command searches. These are some of the key reasons why businesses should be looking into voice search as part of their marketing plans.

Voice Searches and Devices are Growing

Although physically typed searches still represent the majority, the amount of people using voice command to find specific answers is growing rapidly. It is estimated that by 2020 at least 50 percent of all searches will come from voice commands. As the searches themselves grow, the amount of devices catered to voice search continues to expand with new technology.

When Amazon released the Echo device, it represented a major shift in smart devices because it acts as a home assistant that can play music, answer questions and control other devices. With the popularity of the Echo, other companies like Google and Apple are now planning to release their own versions to compete with the product. It is likely that the market for smart devices that incorporate voice search will only continue develop and gain momentum.

Keywords for Voice Searches are Different

Something that businesses using search engine optimization must consider is that when people use voice search they tend to use different terms and phrases to find what they are looking for. When people physically type something in, especially on their smartphone, they usually keep the search pretty short. Typically a typed in search would be about two words so that the user can quickly get a result and they don’t have to waste time typing in a long query.

With voice command devices, people tend to say longer phrases out loud because it requires less effort than typing and they can get more specific results. People are more likely to ask the voice search a longer question such as “where can I get the best vacation deals” instead of just typing “vacation deals”. People often ask things in the form of a question when using voice searches because they expect it to understand and respond like a human would.

Stronger Search Intent

One of the things that marketers are trying to identify with certain search terms is the exact intent of the user when they are looking for specific information. The type of short two word phrases that normally occur when someone is typing a search can make it hard to figure out the person’s intent in their search. With voice searches, people tend to show much stronger intent that can be easily interpreted by search engines and ultimately benefits marketers.

When people use voice search they are usually using longer phrases that include question words like who what and where which tend to indicate a greater readiness for action. Marketers can start to optimize for these question keywords for voice searches and be able to convert customers who are ready to make a purchase.

Local Businesses Benefit the Most

While most SEO is optimized for location, voice searches more often include terms such as “near me” or “nearby” which can bring in a lot of business to local stores. Mobile voice search is actually three times more likely to be used to find local establishments than through text searches. Businesses with a local physical presence stand to benefit the most from optimizing for voice search.

Faster Response, Faster Results

One of the reasons people tend to favor voice searches when they are on the go is so they can get a quick answer and take immediate action. This is great news for businesses that want to convert customers and are able to get to the top of voice search results. People searching may choose you for the product or service they want without spending too much time comparing and reviewing other websites.

As long as you have listing on sites like Yelp with your hours, location and phone information you can get customers who need your services immediately.

Marketing for voice search can help businesses tap into a lot of new opportunities. Voice search is only going to become more important as people adjust to new devices that focus on voice command. Make sure to incorporate voice search in your digital marketing and SEO plan to get the best results.

Search engine optimization has been an element of online marketing for nearly two decades since its earliest beginnings in the mid 90s. The technique has changed significantly over time but it has never completely lost its relevance. Even though some in the marketing world may believe that SEO is dead, it has simply evolved.

In a sense, the old way of doing SEO is over because so much about search engine optimization has changed. The earlier formula of simply optimizing H1s and meta tags is not enough to increase search rank. Now there is no one formula for getting results from SEO; instead there are different approaches that work differently for every business.

There have never been any guarantees that certain SEO practices will work immediately to increase search rank. If someone is unable to get results from traditional SEO then they might write it off as ineffective and assume that SEO is dead. The reality is that SEO works but you simply have to evolve with it as it continues to change.

How SEO has Changed

While in the past certain tweaks such as adding keywords to title tags may have worked to increase rank, there is now a lot more to consider. When Google Panda was released, it caused SEO to change significantly. The emphasis now is on creating a high quality experience for users through great content instead of “spammy” content for the sake of SEO.

Even though content needs to focus more on a positive user experience, that content still needs to be optimized and that is where SEO still maintains its relevance. SEO keywords can still be used effectively within the right content to get better results. Content needs to be seen by the largest possible audience and SEO can play a major role in helping that happen.

Old practices like title tag keywords have actually been found recently be much less effective than previously thought. A study discovered that the correlation between a keywords in a title tag and the ranking of that keyword was actually very minimal. Since Google has gotten better at understanding the context of a page keyword targeting doesn’t need to be nearly as explicit as it was in the past.

Now businesses working with SEO often benefit from more longer form content because it naturally includes terms that describe the topic and will be noted by Google. These terms that are related to the topic are now known as entities and are just as important as keywords once were in SEO. Businesses can now go beyond traditional keyword research into entity research to find more terms to be included in content.

Social Media and SEO

More businesses are focusing their marketing strategies on social media as it continues to expand its influence through different sites like Facebook and Instagram. SEO can helpful for social media marketing by boosting the rank of links to social media pages and ensuring that users will be led to those pages. People also use social media channels to search for things and search engine optimization can be useful in affecting these types of searches.

One thing to remember about SEO is that optimizing content can take on many different forms and does not have to follow what is traditionally thought of as SEO. Every business will still need to take efforts to ensure that their high quality content is seen by an audience online.

As SEO continues to evolve and change, people will always use it differently to reach the ultimate goal of boosting traffic. As long as people are able to get these results in new ways, SEO will continue to live on as a viable choice for marketing.

The strategies for search engine optimization have changed significantly over the past few years as SEO continues to evolve from its more traditional forms. SEO can still be a powerful way to boost traffic and bring users closer to making a purchase on your site. Because SEO is always shifting, it is important to stay on top of what the most successful modern practices are every year.

If you use SEO incorrectly you might not get the kind of results you are looking for and end up frustrated. Some practices may even be harmful in the long run so you should review what strategies are currently the norm. Here are some of the most common SEO mistakes to avoid making.

Using the Wrong Keywords

You are not optimizing for the right keywords then most of your SEO efforts will be in vain. If you focus on generic or global keywords instead of more focused and localized words then you won’t be attracting the right kind of visitors to your site. Long-tail keywords usually work best because people that type very specific phrases are more often looking to buy something.

More generic keywords might attract people that just browsing, are not interested in what you offer or are not looking to make a purchase. Broad keywords can also have a lot more competition making it harder to boost your rank. Do some keyword research first or use an SEO company that specializes in finding keywords to start a more effective campaign.

2. Not Using Unique Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

In addition to having the right keywords you also need to focus on title tags and meta descriptions that are the most effective. If all of your pages have similar titles then it can be damaging to your SEO strategy. You need unique titles that are optimized and include specific keywords that are related to the content on the page.

Meta descriptions can also be useful for SEO because they appear within search results. A meta description should be persuasive and act as a sales pitch for your page. Each page throughout your site should include a meta description with some relevant keywords that will entice people to click on your link in search results.

3. Focusing on Quantity instead of Quality Links

Links are important in SEO but if you have a high number of bad links then you are only causing more harm than good. The quality of links is important when search engines are evaluating them for your ranking. One link from a popular blog will boost your rank more than hundreds of lesser quality links.

SEO Los Angeles strategies will get the most results from links that are relevant to your website and come from trusted sources rather than spammy sites.

4. Creating Unrelated Content

One of the problems that people experience with SEO is the tendency to produce content that isn’t directly related to your keywords. This happens when people want to rank for a certain keyword but are not effective at focusing the text on that topic. Google is looking for content that is the most relevant for search terms users type in and if your doesn’t answer the search specifically then your rank on the search engine results page will suffer.

5.Not Optimizing for Mobile

People use their smartphones for searches more than ever and it is a huge missed opportunity not to invest in a mobile friendly site. The quality of your website, especially how it performs on a mobile phone can be very crucial for your search rank. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, Google and other search engines will recognize it which can negatively affect your rating.

When people develop an SEO strategy they usually focus all their energy toward on page tactics within their own website to increase search rank. Creating content for the site, optimizing the speed, internal linking and all the other ways we make our website more search friendly is considered on-page SEO. However, off-page SEO can be equally useful in increasing your site’s search engine rank.

Off-page SEO is any kind of technique beyond website design that promotes your site and helps make you more visible online. Here are 5 off-page SEO strategies that can be helpful to incorporate into your overall SEO plan.

Link Building

Probably one of the most popular off-page SEO strategies is link building because it is one of the most effective tools to increase search rank. By building more external links to your website you can increase your page’s relevance and start to bypass your competition. If someone else links to your website it tells search engines that you offer useful information and your page qualifies as an authority.

Link building has to be accomplished legitimately because if you try to trick search engines with artificial links to your site you could be penalized and your rank will suffer. You should make an effort to build natural links by publishing interesting and useful content that other sites will be more likely to reference by linking to you. You can always boost your links by contacting other people or sites that might find your content relevant and ask them to link to you.

Social Media Presence and Marketing

While your main concern is always the ranking of your company web page, you can help manage your online reputation and build traffic to your main page through social media sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It is more important than ever to have a strong presence on social media because it helps people learn more about your brand and interact with you directly.

Having a good social media presence means being as responsive as possible to people and engaging with them as much as you can. You can answer people’s questions and get them involved so that they become loyal customers and spread the word about your company. You should try to be proactive on social media and post interesting content on a regular basis so that you generate more engagement all the time.

Forums and Discussion Boards

Getting involved in forums that are related to your site’s niche can help create more interest and discussion about your brand. Find the right forums online and get involved within the community by replying to threads, answering people’s questions and offering useful advice. This will all help build up your reputation as an expert within your company’s niche.

Make sure to also use “Do-Follow” forums so you can include a link to your site within your signature and help to boost your backlinks. You can get more quality links to your site while getting engaged on discussion boards so that people know more about your company. If you are regularly active on a few discussion boards you will start to see more traffic on your site.

Blogging and Social Bookmarking

If you already have a blog on your site it is important to make sure it is always updated with new and varied types of content including video, photos and articles. You can start to promote your blog by submitting it to blog directories that are related to your niche as well as to blog search engines. You can post comments on other blogs and include your link in the comment section so that people will check out your blog as well.

You can submit your content to bookmarking sites like reddit, stumbleupon, scoop.it and delicious to help promote your blog. The content on these sites is updated very frequently which is great for ranking on search engines. If you use social bookmarking carefully and handle the tags properly you can greatly increase traffic to your site.

Local Listings and Reviews

If you are a local business within a certain niche you might benefit from listing your company in local directories. Using local listings is a way to avoid facing huge competition and instead narrowing it down to your city or area. If you list your site locally search engines can easily view your website and crawl the content.

You can reach a more targeted audience by submitting to sites like Google Maps and Yelp which will show customers where you are located and include a brief introduction to your business. Your website will show up when people search for your niche in your local area. You can also encourage people to review you on yelp which will give you more validity in the eyes of search engines